Wooden floor-covering.



G. FULTON.

WOODEN FLOOR COVERING.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 6, 1911.

Patented June 4, 1912.

WITNESSES: q INVENTOR.

-A TTORNE Y.

dotted lines in that figure.

spectlve view showing four sections of the- GEORGE FULTON, 0F WINNIPEG,MANITOBA, CANADA.

WOODEN FLOOR-COVERING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE FtLTox; of the city of \Vinnipeg. in theProvince of Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in \Vooden Floor-Coverings, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to produce a cheap and durable wood carpetwhich may be turned out in a variety of artistic patterns and which whenlaid will be less liable to warp,crack or curl than ordinary marquetry.I

I attain my object by means of the process hereinafter described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings which results in the productionof a wooden floor covering .havlng the desired characteristics.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a compound .prismatic wooden block.illustrating the first step in the process of forming a floor covering.Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a compound slab formed by longitudinallyslicing the compound block shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a compoundprismatic block formed by cementing together a number of the slabs shownin Fig. "2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a single section of thecovering formed by slicing the compound block shown in Fig. 8', asindicated in the Fig. 5 is a perflooring as they are laid together onthe floor.

In the drawingslike letters of reference indicate corresponding parts inthe different figures.

The first step in the production of my flooring is to take a number ofslabs of wood A and cement them together to form a compound prismaticblock such as shown in Fig. 1. As it is my purpose to produce a patentedfloor covering certain of the slabs are made of strongly colored wood orelse of wood to which the desired color has been given by steam dyeingor otherwise. In order to properly produce the pattern desired it isnecessary that a number of prismatic blocks be formed in which thecolored slabs are diflerently arranged to produce the necessaryvariation of pattern. These compound blocks are sliced endwise, as shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1, to' produce the compound slabs B shown inFig. 2. A number of the compound slabs B are then cemented together toproduce the compound block' Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 6, 1911.

Patented June 4, 1912.

Serial No. 619,360. 1

shown in Fig. 3, which block is thus made up of a number of slenderprisms of wood all securely cemented together and displaying a patternwhose special figures depends on the special arrangementof the woods inthe previous steps of theprocess. The next and most distinctive step inmy process is the slicing of the compound prismatic block, shown in Fig.3, transversely of the block and at an acute angle to the end of theblock.

In dotted lines "in Fig. 3 I have illustrated this method of slicing theblock. As the result of this slicing I obtain the compound floorsections C, such as shown in Figs. t and 5, in which the sides formright angles with the top and bottom, but in which the ends, thoughparallel, are not at right angles with the top and bottom.

\Vhile I prefer that the wood shall be all arranged so that the endgrain appears at the top and bottom of the floor section C, yet for thepurpose of securing variety in the patterns some cross grained woodmight be employed in forming the original prismatic blocks, such asshownin Fig. 1.

The flooring is laid in the following manner. A row of floor sections Care laid with the ends suitably matching. Next to it is laid a similarrow of sections in a reverse position to the ends of the sections of theadjoining row, and this reversal of the position of the floor sectionsin alternate rows is carried out all across the floor. The result is toform a look all acrossthe floor, where the sections adjoin transverselyof the directionv in which the sections-are laid, as

shown at the left hand in Fig. 5 where a projecting dove-tailed tongue ais shown next to an undercut or dovetailed recess 6, the next adjoiningsections presenting the same features in reverse position to engage thetongue and recess respectively. I find that this construction of theflooring makes the floor much less liable to check, warp or curl up. Thepossibility of securing this advantage is obtained through the diagonalslicing process I have hereinbefore dein the one direction tends also tostrengthen the block against disintegration in the other direction.

The finished flooring, owing to the surface presenting the end grain ofthe \VOOd, is much more durable and softer to the tread than ordinaryhardwood or marquetry floors and is capable of taking a verysatisfactory finish. As the floors maybe produced in a variety ofpatterns either with or without a border, very artistic results may beproduced, and as the small wooden slabs or blocks from which theoriginal compound block shown in Fig 1 is produced may be obtained muchmore cheaply than larger sized wood the cost of the flooring iscomparable with any other first-class wooden floor covering.

I find it will be most convenient to make each section C represent onlypart of a pat-- tern so that a plurality of sections, sayfour, will berequired to make upa unit of the pattern. I propose therefore, to secureeach group of sections C to a backing D (see Fig. 5) preferably ofcot-ton or other suitable fabric as an equivalent for the textile fabricleather, rubber paper or any other continuous more or lesspliablesubstance may be employed. This backing not only unites the parts ofeach pattern unit but aids materially in laying the flooring as a surfacis provided which takes glue well without the moisture penetrating toand swelling the wood. I

I have referred to the fact that the slabs of wood may be colored bysteam dyeing or other suitable process. This enables me to bring up thecolor of inferior specimens of any wood to look equal to the best andalso enables me, by dyeing/cheap woods of ti color of the more expensivewoods to produce a party-colored fioor covering of cheap material whichwill look as well as if made from the choicest hardwoods.

It will be understood, of course, that the finished product isapplicable to other purposes than floor covering such as stairtreads,table tops, wainscots and the like;

WVhat I claim as my invention is A floor covering section consisting ofan even number of compound slices of wood cut a across the grain andformed with parallel beveled ends, the said slices being arranged in aplurality of rows with their beveled ends inclined in oppositedirections in alternate rows, in combination with a continuous backingto which the said slices are cemented.

Dated at Toronto this 3rd day of April GEO. FULTON. Signed in thepresence of J. Enw. MAYBEE, KENZIE THoMsoN.

